Sojourn Chronicles: Fateful Meeting
by Sentimental Star
Summary: **COMPLETE** Seven-year-old initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi was brought to the Jedi Temple from Tatooine when he was three years old. He does not remember anything significant from his life before Jedihood except for one very special Jedi Master...--NO Slash--
1. Encounters

TITLE: Sojourn Chronicles #1: Fateful Meeting  
  
AUTHOR: Sentimental Star  
  
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. Send to ecrivain16@yahoo.com or R&R at Fanfiction.net (pen-name: Sentimental Star)  
  
ARCHIVES: JAFD, Fanfiction.net  
  
WARNINGS: None  
  
SPOILERS: Possible small ones for JA Series  
  
SERIES: Yes, Sojourn Chronicles  
  
RATING: G-PG  
  
SUMMARY: Eighteen years Pre-TPM, Non-Slash: Seven-year-old initiate Obi- Wan Kenobi was brought to the Jedi Temple from Tatooine when he was three years old. He does not remember anything very significant from his life before Jedi-hood except for one very special Jedi Master whom he has not seen since then . . . . .  
  
DISCLAIMER: Do you know how much I hate these things? ::sighs:: Anyway, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan aren't mine, nor are any other characters you recognize. They belong to George Lucas and Jude Watson.  
  
NOTES: AU for Jedi Apprentice. Forgive me if these aren't very good, I haven't much experience in writing Star Wars or Jedi Apprentice fanfiction. There is a father/son relationship/friendship between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, but even if you don't like that sort of thing, please read anyway. R&R!  
  
Obi-Wan Kenobi had never liked being alone. He supposed it had something to do with the planet he had once called home—Tatooine. Far out on the Outer Rim, the desert planet and its twin suns could be very lonely indeed, especially when your family paid little attention to you.  
  
He had been unwanted by his parents and brother. They had been only too happy to hand him over to the Jedi Masters staying with them once it was determined that he was Force-sensitive.  
  
He no longer remembered anything about them now. There was only one person he really remembered from that day, being three at the time, and that was one of the Jedi Masters who had found him. When the tall, powerfully built man with kind, midnight blue eyes had picked him up, Obi-Wan had experienced a safety and a warmth he had never before felt with anyone else. He was wanted. And even though he had only been three, to him that had meant the world.  
  
Somehow he knew Jedi Master had felt something very much the same. However, before anything else occurred, the boy had found himself pushed into what he now knew to be a Force-induced sleep. When he had woken up in a bed in the Temple's Crèche, the Jedi Master was gone.  
  
Several years had passed since that day with no sign of the mysterious Jedi Master. Obi-Wan still thought of him from time to time, after all, that man had been the first to let the young initiate know that there were such things as love and friendship and trust, even if he didn't know it. Because of his early childhood, Obi-Wan had been badly scarred and he made it a point to reach out to anyone and everyone he could, not wanting them to experience what he had so early in his young life. He had made many casual friends and had several very close ones now, and he could not be happier.  
  
At only seven years of age, he had learned a very important lesson that some people don't learn until they were in their thirties—to give love and be loved in turn was a gift more precious than the rarest treasure.  
  
"Oof! Hey, watch where you're going, clumsy!" a voice sneered.  
  
Uh OH! Obi-Wan thought. This was NOT the person he wanted to tangle with right now. He had not been watching where he was going, so involved in his thoughts was he, and he had collided with one of the meanest boys in his year—Bruck Chun. He and the other seven-year-old had clashed often in times past and Obi-Wan was not too keen on him, but he still tried to reach out to the bully, even if he did get beat up because of it.  
  
"I'm sorry, Bruck, you're right," he apologized hurriedly, leaning down and offering his hand to the other boy, who was currently on the ground, scowling at him.  
  
The scowl quickly turned into a contemptuous smirk. "That you're clumsy."  
  
Obi-Wan's cheeks flushed scarlet. "No," he replied evenly, still holding his hand out, "that I wasn't watching where I was going."  
  
Bruck remained on the floor, the disdain clearly evident on his face. "Always have had your head in the clouds, Obi-Wan Kenobi," he remarked scornfully. "You'll never become a Jedi Knight, never."  
  
His face was now flushed nearly to the roots of his ginger hair, the hand Obi-Wan still held out wavered, then steadied. There was a glint of steel in his eyes and his voice as he replied, "There is nothing wrong with that. Without dreams I wouldn't be human. Now if you'd like to stay there on the floor, fine, I'll go to the Dining Hall and leave you alone. If not, let me help you up and we'll go there together. We're already late as it is."  
  
"Not doing," Bruck retorted, "I already had my dinner and anyway, there is no WAY I am showing up with a loser like you in the Dining Hall."  
  
While Bruck leaving the Dining Hall so early was an abnormality, Obi-Wan dismissed it for the time being and firmed his resolve not to explode at the other. "Fine, then at least let me help you."  
  
Bruck's face darkened and his smirk turned wicked. "Sure, I'll let you help me, Obi . . . as a punching bag."  
  
Before Obi-Wan could react or have time to prepare, Bruck surged to his feet and delivered a cruel uppercut to the smaller, slighter boy's jaw. Stars exploded in front of Obi-Wan's vivid blue eyes and his vision turned hazy as he was sent careening into one of the white walls of the corridor, striking the back of his head against it. Pain burst into full bloom in his mind.  
  
Obi-Wan went to block the upcoming blow, but he had been stunned and was in serious pain from the first punch. The block came too late and the punch found its target—Obi-Wan's abdomen. With a grunt, he collapsed, doubling over in pain, the Force slipping just out of his grasp. Weakly, he battled to lift his head. His pain-filled eyes stared calmly into Bruck's glittering black ones. He may not be able to defend himself, but at the very least he would face the other boy's cruelty like he was taught, although never in his wildest imaginings would he have thought he would one day need to use it when facing a fellow initiate.  
  
Bruck pulled back his fist to deliver another blow and Obi-Wan steeled himself for what would surely land him in the Healers' Ward. The other boy's fist seemed to come at him in slow motion and he was helpless to do anything about it. Suddenly, a large, dark hand shot out and grabbed Bruck's wrist and someone slipped an arm around Obi-Wan and drew him into their lap. The seven-year-old could just barely make out the voices of his rescuers:  
  
"Now that's enough," came Master Mace Windu's stern order.  
  
"Obi, Obi, are you all right?!" a soft voice that sounded suspiciously like his best friend, Bant Eerin, pressed worriedly.  
  
And there was another, one that sparked a memory of the Jedi Master who had first let Obi-Wan know what caring for others meant. "Young one, how badly are you hurt?" His voice was gentle and deep with underlying warmth.  
  
Even though it caused stars and streaks of color to dance across his vision and caused him excruciating pain, Obi-Wan snapped his head up . . . only to discover Bant and a Jedi Master with kind midnight blue eyes gazing down at him in deep concern. The big Jedi was holding him.  
  
In that instant, that split-second when they met each other's gaze, the feeling of safety and familiarity Obi-Wan had encountered four years ago on Tatooine with this very same Master, returned tenfold. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he was unconscious.  
  
The last thing he heard before the blackness claimed him was the Jedi Master and Bant crying out simultaneously in worry and surprise.  
  
  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: So, how'd you like the first chapter of Sojourn Chronicles? Do you think I should continue this fic and this series? I know the first chapter was kinda short, but I hope to make other chapters longer. Please R&R! 


	2. Reunion

Disclaimer: I do not nor ever will own Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, or any of the other characters you recognize, I'm just borrowing them. The credits go to George Lucas and Jude Watson. Although I wouldn't mind them for a birthday present! ::grins::  
  
A/N: I've FINALLY gotten around to updating this. I was originally going to wait for fifteen reviews, but I had a funny feeling that some people were going to run me through with a lightsaber if I didn't update soon. Right, Sheleigh and Miki? ^_^ Anyway, I hope people like this chapter as much as the first one. Please R&R!  
  
/Thoughts/  
  
~*~ Change of Scene, Perspective, or Time Frame ~*~  
  
  
  
Sojourn Chronicles #1: Fateful Meeting  
  
Chapter 2: Reunion  
  
by Sentimental Star  
  
Door.  
  
Chairs.  
  
Door.  
  
Chairs.  
  
Do—  
  
"Qui-Gon, for Force's sake sit down! You're driving me crazy with that darn pacing!" Jedi Master/Council Member Mace Windu exclaimed in exasperation as his best friend, Qui-Gon Jinn, began walking yet another circuit across the empty Waiting Room floor.  
  
"You ARE crazy," Qui-Gon retorted darkly, not once breaking his powerful, but nonetheless graceful, stride.  
  
Door.  
  
Chairs.  
  
Door.  
  
Chai—  
  
Mace jumped to his feet from where he had been sitting in one of the easy- chairs on this level of the Jedi Temple's Healers' Ward. Sauntering up to the other Jedi Master, Windu firmly took hold of his arm and gently marched Qui-Gon all the way to the spot he had just abandoned and gave him a pointed, however light, shove. Surprisingly, the slightly taller man did not resist, but willingly collapsed into the seat, dropping his head into his large hands.  
  
/Why am I taking this so hard? Force, I don't even know this child's name, let alone why I felt such a strong sense of belonging . . . of rightness . . . when he looked up at me!/ the harried Master thought.  
  
"Qui? Why are you so high-strung?" Mace asked softly as he sat beside his friend in another easy-chair.  
  
Qui-Gon raised his head and glared at the Council Member. "If I knew, I'd tell you," he growled.  
  
Windu held up his darker-skinned hands in surrender. "All RIGHT, no need to bite my head off."  
  
In spite of himself, Qui-Gon smiled a little. "Can't imagine that would taste very good."  
  
"Speak for yourself, Jinn," Mace countered in mock indignation.  
  
"Hey, at least I have hair," Qui-Gon answered, chuckling slightly. Mace had just recently gone bald and the Council Member was actually quite embarrassed about it.  
  
However, before his best friend had a chance to defend himself, the door at the opposite end of the Waiting Room opened and Master Healer Si'rin exited the Bacta Tank Room, immediately drawing the attention of the two Jedi Masters away from their playful argument. Qui-Gon quickly stood to his feet as soon as he saw the Healer heading their way.  
  
"The boy?" he demanded before the humanoid, male Healer was even three- quarters of the way across the Waiting Room floor.  
  
"Better," Healer Si'rin calmly informed the obviously uptight Master, coming to a stop in front of his two peers, "but I'm going to keep him in here over night. The cracked jaw, concussion, and internal bleeding were all stopped, but I need to make sure everything really IS okay with him. Do either of you know who he is and whom takes care of him?"  
  
Mace answered, tugging Qui-Gon back down into the seat, "His name is Obi- Wan Kenobi, a Fourth Year Initiate. He's under the care of Crèche Master Lynna Tw'lis."  
  
Healer Si'rin bowed to the Council Member. "Then I shall inform her of the circumstances. You may see Obi-Wan now, he's in recovery room A11."  
  
The green skinned Healer had barely done so when Qui-Gon leapt back to his feet despite Mace's efforts to keep him seated and quickly brushed past the medic with a brief, gruff, "Thank you, Healer Si'rin."  
  
The Healer and Council Member gazed after Qui-Gon's hastily retreating form in bemusement. "When I return I may have to sedate Qui-Gon, Mace," Si'rin remarked, a small smile on his features.  
  
"Can't imagine why," Windu remarked dryly, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood. "I'll see what I can do to calm him down."  
  
Si'rin chuckled. "The way he's acting, you're going to need all the help you can get, but do your best. I can tell you one thing, that small boy in there is going to have a very big impact Qui-Gon Jinn's life, mark my words."  
  
"You know, I may just take you up on that," Mace quipped good-naturedly. He bowed to the Master Healer. "Thank you again, Si'rin. May the Force be with you."  
  
Si'rin returned it and said, still chuckling slightly, "And may it also be with you." Then he and the Council Member parted, the Healer to talk to Obi-Wan's Crèche Master and Windu to, quite literally, run the gauntlet.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Meanwhile, Qui-Gon had reached room A11in the Recovery Wing after rushing down the hall. He still did not understand why what befell this one, small initiate meant so very much to him, nor could he explain why he was reacting so badly to it. Force, hadn't he only just SEEN the boy in the hall a couple of hours ago for the first time in his LIFE?!  
  
With a frustrated, impatient sigh, Qui-Gon pushed away those thoughts . . . as well as the deeper, darker ones they evoked. He did not want to jump to conclusions right now, anyway, he only wanted to make sure that Obi-Wan Kenobi was truly all right. /Only that,/ he promised himself, /nothing more, just a quick peek in and then turn right around and leave this awful place./ It wasn't that he did not like the Healers here, quite the contrary, he had friends among them, Master Healer Si'rin being one of the closest, but he did not like the smell, nor the sight, of an infirmary. He had been in them far too often over the last forty years or so of his life.  
  
The black plaque on the metal door read A11 in white lettering. It was slightly ajar; the code panel mounted on it blinked yellow, then green as the sensor picked up on Qui-Gon's presence. Smoothly, it slid the rest of the way open. A rush of cooler air greeted him as he stepped into the threshold, making his long brown hair sway slightly in the simulated breeze. There he paused and allowed his midnight blue eyes to adjust to the dimly lit interior.  
  
Once they did so, his eyes almost reluctantly traced a path to the small initiate asleep on the much too big medical bed. As Qui-Gon's feet compelled him forward, to Obi-Wan Kenobi's side, he felt the door silently glide shut behind him, once again stopping so that it was slightly ajar. Looking down at the child's pale face, the large man took note of the receding bruise along Obi-Wan's jaw line and how tired and incredibly young he seemed. Immediately, Qui-Gon knew that he would not be able to follow through with his plan to leave the Healers' Ward as soon as humanly possible.  
  
Random thoughts and concerns popped up in his mind as he worriedly contemplated the child before him. /Will he have nightmares if I leave? Will the bruising cause him so much pain that all he can do is cry and with no one here to comfort him . . . Will he develop a fever? Complications? Force, what in the galaxy is wrong with me?!/  
  
His hand shaking much more than he would have liked, Qui-Gon reached out towards the small face of the initiate. Just before it could make contact, however, the little seven-year-old stirred, perhaps sensing Qui- Gon's volatile emotions. /But that's not possible . . . is it?/ Qui-Gon wondered, gently resting his hand on the child's forehead and---  
  
WHAM!  
  
At once, the relapse of the incredible feeling of belonging and familiarity he had experienced in the hall slammed into him full force, leaving him breathless and his mind buzzing in confusion. Shaking his head to clear it, the Jedi Master looked down at Obi-Wan . . . and found a pair of half- open vivid blue eyes staring blearily back at him. "Wha---what's . . ." the boy attempted to croak out, quiet voice laced with sleep and curiosity.  
  
Smiling warmly and reassuringly at the tiny initiate, Qui-Gon encouraged him gently, "Yes, young one?"  
  
Sleepily returning the smile, Obi-Wan finally managed to get out, "May I ask . . . what your name is, sir?"  
  
Chuckling softly at how politely the boy phrased his question, the Jedi Master answered, "You may, indeed. My name is Qui-Gon Jinn, little friend, and you are Obi-Wan Kenobi, correct?"  
  
Obi-Wan began to nod, then stopped abruptly as pain shot through his mind. /That hurts!/ he thought, tears immediately welling up in his eyes as his body tried to get rid of the ache, his hands clenching in the sheets of the medical bed.  
  
This did not go unnoticed by Qui-Gon. Leaning over the child, brow creased in obvious concern, the man asked, sliding his hand gently down to Obi- Wan's bruised jaw, "It hurts here? Squeeze my arm if it does."  
  
Obi-Wan unclenched one of his fists and brought his hand up to the Master's forearm, giving it a hard squeeze. Wide blue eyes searched for reassurance in worried midnight ones.  
  
Smiling gently once again, allowing the comfort to appear in both his eyes and on his features, Qui-Gon murmured, "You'll be fine, Obi-Wan." He paused. What he wanted to ask next would probably be hard for the child to comply to, let alone himself, but at last, taking a deep breath, he requested quietly, "Young one, you must trust me enough to let me help you with your healing." He knew that doing so would very likely cement the possible formation of a bond, but right now he was willing to do anything to ease this small being's pain.  
  
Without hesitation, Obi-Wan squeezed Qui-Gon's arm. "Y-Yes, Master Jinn," the boy rasped before wincing as another spike of agony shot through his mind. Still he continued, blue eyes serious, "But only . . . only if you want to." The hand on the Jedi Master's arm shook as another spasm of pain struck the child's mind.  
  
"Shhh, don't talk, it will only hurt you more," Qui-Gon forced out through a throat suddenly gone tight with emotion. /This child . . ./ the Jedi marveled, /how can he know how big a step this is for me to take, what with that mission gone bad . . ./ He quickly repressed a shudder.  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes were locked on the big Jedi's face as faint emotions from the man reached him via the Force. /Why is he doing this for me? It's obviously a hard thing for him to do,/ he thought, then grimaced as his body protested what it was being put through. Tears pooled in his large blue eyes, eyes much too wise for his tender years.  
  
Qui-Gon immediately snapped out of his reverie, noticing the grimace and the tears. Resting his hand on Obi-Wan's head, he stroked the boy's reddish-golden hair and soothed, "Shhh, shhh. Hush, everything will be all right. I need you to completely relax. Can you do that for me, Obi-Wan?"  
  
Another affirmative squeeze to the Jedi Master's forearm. Then Qui-Gon felt the tiny body on the much too big medical bed go slack almost at once.  
  
Alarmed, Qui-Gon focused on the Force and attempted to sense Obi-Wan's condition. He was relieved and pleased to discover that the little initiate had quickly found his center and connected to the Force. Currently, he was allowing it to wash all around and in him, allowing it to reassure and comfort him. "Very good, Obi-Wan," the Master breathed.  
  
The boy smiled serenely, his eyes softly shut. "Thank you, Master Jinn," he whispered somewhat dreamily with yet another squeeze to Qui-Gon's arm.  
  
Shunting his wonder at the incredible trust and bravery Obi-Wan was displaying to the side, the Jedi Master once again rested his huge hand tenderly on the small forehead of the child beneath him. Closing his eyes and taking a couple of deep breaths, Qui-Gon gathered the Force to him, focused it, then sent the gentle wave of healing power into Obi-Wan's mind. /A bond should form any minute now,/ the man thought with an inward sigh of relief and resignation. He kept his hand on Obi-Wan's forehead.  
  
Sure enough, as the Force's warm light broke and washed over the initiate's mind, Qui-Gon felt the first tendrils of their connection intertwine. He knew as the years progressed it would only strengthen. /Which poses a rather large problem,/ he realized suddenly. /Will we still be able to retain this bond even if I never . . . probably never . . . take Obi-Wan as my Padawan Learner? I don't know./ He was surprised to feel a twinge of fear at that thought.  
  
When he opened his midnight eyes at long last, Qui-Gon's gaze was immediately met by Obi-Wan's awe-filled vivid blue one. "What did you do, Master Jinn?" the child breathed in amazement.  
  
Qui-Gon gave a warm, however small, smile. "I did what I could to make your pain disappear, Obi-Wan." He removed his hand from the boy's forehead and instead rested it lightly on the initiate's chest. Obi-Wan was still holding onto his arm.  
  
The boy frowned slightly in confusion. "But it feels different than what the Healers do, more attached . . . more . . . close . . . sort of connected." With his free hand he rubbed at abruptly sleepy eyes. Not very long after, a huge yawn nearly split his small face. With a weary grin, he mumbled, "I'm tired."  
  
Qui-Gon chuckled, "I bet you are." He would leave an explanation of the bond to Obi-Wan's Crèche Master, or even better, yet, Master Yoda. He did not think he would be able to explain it to the seven-year-old, nor had he any desire to do so.  
  
Obi-Wan yawned again. As his eyes slowly drifted shut, he requested in a small whisper, "Stay with me? Please?" The child's hand slid down to Qui- Gon's wrist and gripped it with a sudden fierceness. "Please, I don't like being alone."  
  
The small initiate's plea caught the Jedi Master by surprise and he knew with conviction that he would gladly stay here for the rest of the night. Smiling warmly, although Obi-Wan's eyes were already closed and he wouldn't be able to see it, Qui-Gon assured him, "You aren't alone, young one. I promise I'll stay, so don't worry about it. I won't go anywhere."  
  
In a tiny voice on the verge of sleep, Obi-Wan advised him, "Thank you, Master Jinn . . . for everything."  
  
"You're most welcome, young one," the Jedi Master answered. He smiled as he felt his new friend finally drift into a deep and peaceful sleep, still hanging on to Qui-Gon's wrist. "And you don't have to call me Master Jinn; Master Qui-Gon will work just fine," he finished with a quiet laugh, even though he knew Obi-Wan probably couldn't hear him.  
  
"Oh, darn, where's my holo-camera when I need it?" Mace Windu suddenly whispered loudly, right after his peer stopped speaking.  
  
Qui-Gon started and whirled around to face his chuckling friend who was standing in the threshold of Obi-Wan's recovery room. "Shuttup," he growled, glaring, as he felt Obi-Wan starting to stir.  
  
Quickly turning away from the Council Member, his face changing dramatically into a warm, concerned expression, he hushed Obi-Wan, "Shhh, shhh, young one. It's all right, go back to sleep." He rested his free hand on the child's forehead and gently pressed waves of reassurance, healing, warmth, and sleep into his mind.  
  
"Yes, Master Qui-Gon," came the acquiesce, uttered from the depths of sleep. As the child went back to sleeping, he rolled over . . . bringing Qui-Gon's arm with him.  
  
"Uh," Qui-Gon grunted, feeling himself being pulled out of his chair, "Obi- Wan, while I'm glad you're comfortable with me here, I can't do much of anything if you pull my arm out of its socket." He attempted to gently tug his arm out of the child's grasp.  
  
Mace's chuckle startled him. The darker-skinned Jedi Master was now standing at his side near the medical bed. Raising his eyes to the other man's face, Qui-Gon remarked dryly, "Wonderful, I'm glad you find this so hilarious."  
  
Windu laughed quietly. "Of course, who wouldn't? It looks like Initiate Kenobi isn't going to let you go for anything. And it also looks like I owe Si'rin a some credits."  
  
Qui-Gon gazed at him for a long moment in confusion, before shaking his head. "Never mind, I don't want to know."  
  
Another chuckle. "Probably, but I'll tell you anyway. It seems he believes that the young boy who is currently holding you captive will also hold your heart captive, perhaps longer than anyone---with the exception of Master Yoda---can see. Told him I'd take him up on that, I did, and it looks like he was right." In the dimness of the room, Qui-Gon saw the mirth in Mace's features completely disappear and be replaced by the utmost gravity. Resting his hand on his best friend's shoulder, Windu admitted softly, "And I'm very glad he was. When you came back from that mission, Jinn . . . Force, I thought I had lost my best friend for sure, as depressed and withdrawn as you were. I'm grateful that it didn't stay that way."  
  
Qui-Gon smiled sincerely at his best friend. "Thanks, Mace." Turning his midnight blue eyes to Obi-Wan as he knelt on the ground beside the cot, the Jedi Master said softly, "And I think, old friend, Si'rin may be right." He shook his head in amazement, never once looking away from the small initiate. "You know, today, when we found him in the hall being beat up by that other initiate, I was so concerned about him and so furious with that bully. I didn't know why. And then when he looked up at me . . . Stars, it was like nothing else I've ever experienced. I KNEW him, Mace, somehow . . . I just did. There was such familiarity and . . . well . . . warmth between us. It happened again, too, several minutes before you came. And you know what else? I was so worried about him I even went so far as to send him healing power through the Force."  
  
Now it was Mace's turn to start. "You WHAT? Qui, you know that by doing so you have every possibility of forming a bond."  
  
Qui-Gon nodded again. "I know, I know, but I couldn't just . . . leave him like that. Even stranger, Mace, he TRUSTED me to do that, ME, a Jedi Master whom he's never seen before."  
  
Mace carefully sat on the edge of the medical bed, facing Qui-Gon. The cot was so large that even that slight movement did not evoke any reaction from Obi-Wan. The Council Member spoke up again after a minute, "That's where you're wrong, Qui-Gon."  
  
In surprise, Qui-Gon snapped his head up and stared at the other man. "What are you saying, Mace? As far as I know, I haven't seen him before today in the corridor."  
  
Windu smiled at the look of obvious astonishment on his best friend's face. "Do you remember that mission you, Lynna, and I went on about four years ago to Tatooine? The one before . . ."  
  
"I-I think so, but as you know when we went to that planet and afterwards, everything EXCEPT for the mission was wiped clear out of my mind. All those people . . ." He shook his head violently and quickly shielded his mind, lest those thoughts and feelings reach Obi-Wan through their newly established link, furiously blinking away tears. Clearing his throat, he continued, "But what does it have to do with Obi-Wan?"  
  
Mace smiled again, giving his friend's shoulder a squeeze, dark eyes warm. "Remember that boy we found, the one you later told me you felt a strong, strange connection to?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, Jinn, that boy is currently on this bed in front of you."  
  
Qui-Gon's jaw went slack as he turned incredulous midnight eyes to the child asleep in front of him. "Obi-Wan . . ." he breathed wonderingly. For some reason beyond his present comprehension, the Jedi Master felt tears prickle at the back of his eyes. "Oh, he's grown up so much. I-I can't believe . . ." He shook his head. "Wow."  
  
Mace stood and squeezed his shoulder. Then, after one last glance at the two in front of him, he left the recovery room without a word to give Lynna and Yoda the news: they had a potential Master-Padawan pair on their hands.  
  
On some subconscious level, Qui-Gon was aware that Mace had left the recovery room. Mostly, he could only marvel at what seemed to be a pure coincidence, but what, he had a funny feeling, was more likely the will of the Force. Trailing the index finger of his right hand slowly and gently down Obi-Wan's warm cheek, he smiled as the child unconsciously leaned into the tender gesture. In complete awe, gratitude, and more importantly, acceptance, he murmured, still with a grin, a tear appearing out of nowhere and trickling down his cheek, "Young one, I do believe you and I have quite a journey ahead of us."  
  
  
  
The End!  
  
**IMPORTANT AURTHOR'S NOTE: I NEED SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE REST OF THE INSTALLMENTS IN THE SOJOURN CHRONICLES STORY ARC! SHOULD I USE OTHER FAMILIAR CHARACTERS FROM JUDE WATSON'S JEDI APPRENTICE SERIES SUCH AS XANATOS? SHOULD I HAVE THE MISSION QUI-GON AND MACE WERE TALKING ABOUT AS THE ONE WHEN XANATOS TURNS, OR SHOULD IT JUST BE A MISSION GONE SO VERY WRONG THAT QUI-GON IS STILL RECOVERING FROM IT? SHOULD I HAVE QUI-GON TAKE OBI-WAN AS HIS APPRENTICE IN THE NEXT ONE OR AT AGE ELEVEN OR EVEN LATER THAN THAT? ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME AS WELL. YOU CAN SEND THEM TO MY E-MAIL (ALTHOUGH I SUGGEST YOU DON'T BECAUSE I DON'T CHECK IT EVERY SINGLE DAY) ADDRESS, ecrivain16@yahoo.com, OR BETTER YET, PUT THEM IN YOUR REVIEWS. ANY IDEAS I USE WILL BE CREDITED TO THEIR CREATORS, SO PLEASE HELP OUT!** 


End file.
